CrzyCanuck wrote:Bert didn't really flourish until the age of 25 or so. Kass got plenty of time to develop. Perhaps his hands will never be as great as Bert, but his physical play and defence? should be better.

Kassian will be just as good as Bert as long as we allow him to play an regular shift and develop his skills...it will start with the dismissal of AV...

Bert and Kassian aren't great comparables - Bert is a supremely skilled big man with great hands and motivation/attitude issues.

Kass is a supremely skilled big man who doesn't have Berts hands or skating abilities, but is very driven to get better.

If Kass can become anywhere close to what Bert was in his prime then the Canucks win this trade hands down. Guys who can score 40 goals, beat up a tough guy on the other team and are immovable in front of the net are worth their weight in gold. There just aren't many in the league anymore.

I'd love to see them begin to put him on the PP, stand in front of the net and become our Holmstrom. He needs to use his size again and be a mean mf out there. But if he can play on the 1st until PP and be effective he will earn his money.

Diehard1 wrote:Bert and Kassian aren't great comparables - Bert is a supremely skilled big man with great hands and motivation/attitude issues.

Kass is a supremely skilled big man who doesn't have Berts hands or skating abilities, but is very driven to get better.

If Kass can become anywhere close to what Bert was in his prime then the Canucks win this trade hands down. Guys who can score 40 goals, beat up a tough guy on the other team and are immovable in front of the net are worth their weight in gold. There just aren't many in the league anymore.

Maybe Kassian is Bert prior to hooking up with Naslund and Mo. The Isles moved him because they couldn't get much out of him

He could be. I'd be very happy if Kass became a guy who can pot 20-25 goals and play on the 2nd line. With his size and toughness he'd be very valuable with that role.

Bert in his prime was arguably the most valuable forward in the game. The Canucks in the early 2000's were a relatively small team overall, but just one guy like Bert playing 20 minutes a night made them a tough team.

We'll see, Zack could have been a star in junior this year and he's going to be on a Canuck workout plan this offseason. If he comes in this fall in great shape I'd expect he will be in the running for a top 9 role, and potentially a top 6 depending on what Gillis does.

Diehard1 wrote:He could be. I'd be very happy if Kass became a guy who can pot 20-25 goals and play on the 2nd line. With his size and toughness he'd be very valuable with that role.

Bert in his prime was arguably the most valuable forward in the game. The Canucks in the early 2000's were a relatively small team overall, but just one guy like Bert playing 20 minutes a night made them a tough team.

We'll see, Zack could have been a star in junior this year and he's going to be on a Canuck workout plan this offseason. If he comes in this fall in great shape I'd expect he will be in the running for a top 9 role, and potentially a top 6 depending on what Gillis does.

As long as Booth doesn't get to him and tells him to repent his evil ways he will become a power forward

What level, luck, skill, coaching/management and time will tell

Even 15 goals/yr and a fearless hitter would be beneficial to our team. When's the last time we had a guy in front of the net that opposing defence men argued over who should cover them. It will take a few year, as with Kesler and the Sedins but I'm patient (unlike some gumbos on here )

There have been different versions of Bertuzzi and I'm definitely not comparing Kassian to the 46 goal scoring version of Bertuzzi. Right now, Kassian is definitely not like Lucic. Kassian doesn't bull over people and isn't a feared fighter. The Kassian I have seen is much more of a playmaker than a scorer. A guy who knows how to use his body to protect the puck. He plays a very similar style to the post-Moore Canuck version of Bertuzzi. Obviously Kassian is younger and has the youthful enthusiasm to throw big hits that the post-Moore Canuck version of Bertuzzi lacked.

It'll be very interesting to see what type of player Kassian will become. He was a mean player and a physical force in juniors. We were told by Sabres fans that his physical game didn't translate into the pro game and thus far it has been true. But Kassian is still really young and he's already a big man with the frame to put on a lot of pounds. I think once he becomes more comfortable with his size and strength in the NHL, he will be more similar to the type of physical force he was in juniors.

dhabums wrote:Remember when the kiddies cried after Linden was traded for Bertuzzi and McCabe?

funny thing..... I'm pretty sure lever, Doc and myself were the only ones who liked that trade at the time. There was smithrites full of urine and shitty diapers from all the youngsters we had to mop through but that trade turned up fucking aces. Unless the Zack can put up 80 points a year and beat the shit out the entire league , there's no fear of a repeat of that happening , however a real solid power forward (think a rich mans Ryane Clowe) for a small, stumpy, slow, but skilled centreman is a good trade in any mans books.

Actually, if Kass can become a Shane Doan type of player, I'd be very happy (a physical player who is a consistent 20 goal guy). One of the reasons I wanted Doan here, take the pressure off Kass and be a mentor for him.

Diehard1 wrote:Bert and Kassian aren't great comparables - Bert is a supremely skilled big man with great hands and motivation/attitude issues.

Kass is a supremely skilled big man who doesn't have Berts hands or skating abilities, but is very driven to get better.